Dry eyes and dry mouth in this conversation--I have the dry mouth problem and I'm pretty sure it's mostly due to drinking too much caffeine. Dry mouth is very annoying! It helps to chew gum, but then my jaws get sore, so I don't do that too often. Thanks for the ginger suggestion. I'm going to try that.
I have an extremely dry mouth and I doubt is is caffeine. Give it up for a while and see if that helps. I don't know why, but it is a major annoyance, leading to bad teeth and breath and on and on.
dry eyes + dry mouth COULD = Sjogrens. Yet another auto immune disorder. I have had both for YEARS...long before I had recognizable joint pain/PsA symptoms. I can't wear contacts anymore at all - feels like they are adhered to my eyeballs if I try for even 1/2 an hour (just tried it again on Halloween as part of my nifty Vampiress costume). Good news? No different treatment that I know of for Sjogrens (I'm probably spelling it wrong). I use generic rewetting solution for contacts (even without the contacts) as that helps keep my eyeballs moist. I use generic Biotene mouthwash for the dry mouth. Neither are terrific solutions, but they are certainly better than nothing! Now, though, I've noticed I have yellowish puffy discolorations on my eyelid. This had just happened within the last year. They aren't anywhere near the tear ducts...they are literally on the eyelid. Have no idea what it is, but could just be old age. I guess I'll bring it up with the doc when I get a chance. Not terribly worried, just one more weird thing that makes me me.
Timberwolf you must be an old timer like me. I tested negative for Sjogrens, but I guess that happens. I never had the "pinch" test, mostly because I am already having the treatment....I had a thing on my eyelid that my eye doctor removed, it was a basel cell, one of many, but the only one on my eyelid. I also have rosacea, which gave me junk on my eyelid, which the eye doctor thought was something else, and I had to do the eye soaks for that. (which is an old persons thing) My eye doctor was not happy that I had a contact, turns out I finally had that cataract removed and don't need it anymore. I have used the generic Biotene stuff in my mouth at night and it was not good, I was wondering if the real thing worked better.
I have had the plugs in my tear ducts but they drove me crazy, so I had them out. I just use a lot of Refresh in my eyes, but any kind will work. My eye doctor insisted on no preservatives though, which isn't a problem. Now no rosacea, no basel cell, no psoriasis, no psoriatic arthritis, no cataracts, no Hodgkins, no whatever with the Sjogrens........now I deal with Menier's, Disease which is yet another immune disorder, or aka disease de jour. But I take a lot of medicine to make it so, but oh well. The alternative is not good.
Funny you should mention rosacea....
There is a study (not open source, sorry) about the relationship of PsA and occular rosacea that is interesting at least. The Occular Immunologists are saying it is way more common than they thought and a lot of previous eye problems thought to be actual iritis and uveitis with Psa are in fact occular rosacea that gets in the oil glands and cause infection and starts to rock an roll from there..............
The disease mimics Sjogrens as well. In any event They treated me with the equivalent of a Zpak for eyes (drops) and month of oral ABX voila It all went away. The, SS, the eye pain, the gook etc etc, AND Mrs Lamb got a trip to IKEA (I went to the casey Eye Institute in Portland) The bad news is i had to cut back on my MTX and the rest of me went to hell. But I have great eyes, a new supply of lingonberry syrup, and a new supply of scissors. (always buy scissors at IKEA)
Yay for scissors and lingonberry jam! I live in Spokane where there is no IKEA. We manage.
For the iritis, it am on pred forte every other day and nevanac every other day, I alternate. Both eye doctors are fearful of stopping it, experience, I guess. I have only very minimal iris inflammation with that routine, which is so much better than I have had at other times. I have been arguing with iritis for many many years, long before I had a diagnosis of psa, but I had psoriasis for most of my life. No one put them all together for a long time. I asked my rheumatologist once if he thought my diseases were related and he said yes, although no one understands why, other than the body doesn't do as it should.
I got rid of the stuff on my eyelid myself...I accidentally on purpose rubbed a little of the antibiotic stuff for rosacea on my eyelid, having been told that it is not for eyes, Jeez it was just an accident, but it went away.hahaha. Take care of yourself!
No IKEA in spokane but it is Seafood night at the Quest friday, then I'm gonna get my money back I left there last time, and attend a little football game in Cheney Sat.... We have a designated driver hired to get us there and back. should be a great couple of days
There are some great Eye docs there although some are scientist first and lack the bedside manner of most eye docs. My sister has fuchs with her psA. before her last transplant the doc told her she was getting the cornea of a healthy 20 year old. She told he couldn't have been too healthy or she wouldn't be getting his eyes. The doc didn't get the joke
That is funny. The doctor didn't get it? Must be a sourpuss.
I was born and raised in Cheney; my great grandparents lived there for a while. My grandparents had a dry cleaning place there, and my dad was the city attorney at Cheney and various other little towns; he taught business law at Eastern for over 30 years, he was a General in the Army National Guard. Me, I got married and left town as soon as I could, but I wish I could live there now. We will have to check out the seafood thing at Northern Quest....my husband just doesn't drink except at home anymore, but bless him, he never begrudges me my martini. It's the least I can do. My husband is from Chelan, so we are just two small town kids in the big city.
I see Dr. Craig here is Spokane, and I used to see Dr. Cynthia Cylio, but she has all but retired. I'm seeing another guy at the same practice, but I am not married to that group, and would like to find someone who is more in tune with Psa. Dr. Cylio was into it and seemed to like seeing me, which she did, off and on for more than 10 years. She had a nice professional relationship with Dr. Craig, too. I have dealt with iritis since, well, probably since the late 70's. Jeez, that makes me old.
I had some wisdom teeth removed a few years ago, and the dentist was so surprised that my teeth we in so tight, he said that it was probably the anti TNF stuff that did it. Had the teeth of a 17 year old, he said, What you wrote made me think of that.
As usual, too much information or tmi, as I have seen it written.
I tend to notice burning and dry eyes at night before bed. They really sting sometimes. Maybe artificial tears as lubricant? Also, my eyes will have problems focusing. I am far sided but the strange thing is they tend to be worst when my joint pain and SOB is worst (flair up?). My ophthalmologist thought I was nuts until he started seeing jumps back and forth in my vision. He said it is possible that it could be inflammation. I hope your Mom gets some relief with the artificial tears.
I agree she should visit her Ophthalmologist. My mom had inverted eye lashes that started the same time as her tearing up. It caused her pain and watery eyes. The only vision issues I have now are need glasses to read but a yearly or bi yearly check up is a good thing for any changes.
I agree too. She should see an Ophthalmologist. I've had two bouts of Uveitis, and since learned that it goes along with PsA. I also have Ocular Rosacea and use eye drops twice daily (Restatsis). I go in yearly for a checkup and then as needed if I have Uveitis as that can lead to blindness if not treated ASAP.
I've noticed when I'm having a flare that my eyes are typically affected in addition to my joints.
Hey everyone,
I was diagnosed with PsA last year and just found this website. I'm also an optometrist specializing in Ocular Disease. While Dry eye syndrome is a common culprit, an iritis or uveitis needs to be ruled out, especially with a history of anything rheumatological. An iritis (inflammation of the iris and/or tissue surrounding) is seen in ~7-10% of people with psoriatic arthritis. Especially with symptoms of pain or light sensitivity, you should definitely see an optometrist (or ophthalmologist) to rule out any ocular inflammation. (They can check for this by using a microscope (slit lamp) to check the anterior chamber for cells or flare by turning down the room lights and shining the light from the slitlamp. If it is in fact an iritis, it is then treated with steroid drops and sometimes a cycloplegic in addition to a steroid. This will calm down the inflammation - although recurrence is likely. Burning, stinging, and discharge can be due to eye dryness and meibomian gland issues - but this is quite common in the general population, not just in patients with PsA. For those experiencing dry eyes and dry mouth, speak to your primary care providers to rule out Sjogrens syndrome.
Thank you, Doctor. I've been dealing with iritis long before a diagnosis of psoriatic arthritis was made. My ophthalmologist pretty much figured it out for me. I also have dry eyes which I deal with apart from the other............
Anytime Jennyb, if you ever had any specific questions and can't get to your ophthalmologist dont' hesitate to ask.
jennyb said:
Thank you, Doctor. I've been dealing with iritis long before a diagnosis of psoriatic arthritis was made. My ophthalmologist pretty much figured it out for me. I also have dry eyes which I deal with apart from the other............
ahimsa23, I do have a question. I have had surgeries on both eyes to remove cataracts. I also have Menier's Disease and feel so unsteady, even after a loooong recuperation from that. My question is, can my new glasses be making me feel unsteady if they aren't right? The implants, although technically the same strength, are different and were put in several years apart. I am due to have my eyes looked at again next month. Technically, they are still healing. It could be Menier's, but even the ENT thought about the glasses, in particular the biofocals. I was just wondering if you had any experience with that. Good luck with the psoriatic arthritis, I had my diagnosis about 8 years ago and I feel like I am an old hand now. I had the iritis since the mid 70's or so, without an explanation, which I have now!
Hi Jennyb,
So yes if the prescription in a pair of glasses is wrong, it's possible it could make you feel unsteady or can cause eyestrain. Do you wear progressive bifocals (the no lined bifocal?). If the measurements for the bifocals were also not taken correctly it could also cause a mild imbalance. If the RX is correct and glasses made correctly then it's definitely possible the imbalance is still being caused by the Menier's disease. Hope this helped..
Thanks, I'll be asking about it for sure! And yes, they are progressive bifocals, which is what my ENT asked....hum The bifocals don't work well, I find I take the glasses off completely when I'm reading, and I can see that I am looking over the glasses completely as I write here!
Thanks!